Theatre Review: I Would Like to Stay Please, Brighton Fringe
Summary: Musical Theatre Actress and Singer, Elizabeth Shofi, performs an evening of songs and show tunes in her Brighton Fringe showcase; ‘I Would Like To Stay. Please’. Sharing her love for the UK and storytelling with features from a multitude of musicals as well as The Beatles and Pocahontas.
Rating: ★★★★
Running Dates & Where to see it: Monday 27th May 2024 at Bar Broadway (Brighton) and Thursday 30th May 2024 at 3 Jolly Butchers (Brighton)
Duration: 60 minutes
Keywords: Live Music, Showtunes / Musical Theatre
Review
Gliding across the notes with professional control in a blue sparkly dress Elizabeth not only filled the room with her powerful voice but lit up the room with her infectious spirit.
Hosted in Brighton’s infamous Bar Broadway, Elizabeth Shofi stunned the audience with her incredible talent. An hour of her breathtaking voice and intermittent commentary where her warm, bubbly personality shone through was a perfect edition to the Brighton Fringe showcase. Opening with ‘A World of Pure Imagination’ from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Elizabeth set the tone for her performance beautifully. Accompanied by Michael Toolan on the piano Elizabeth sang a multitude of showtunes guided by the overall theme of ‘I Would Like to Stay. Please.’ ; an ode to the United Kingdom and all she has found here. The place she has made her home.
Whether you have no knowledge of musical theatre or know every song by heart, Elizabeth Shofi’s performance is not one you should miss this Brighton Fringe. It's not all musical theatre though, with features from The Beatles and classic Disney film Pocahontas the performance has something for everyone. With an acknowledgement that soprano songs in musicals tend to tell the story of male focused hurt, the selection of songs performed was a mixture of longing for home and cheerful hope for the future.
The standout moment from the performance was when Elizabeth sang I’ll Be Here from the musical Ordinary Days. Goosebumps. Showing, not only her incredible vocal range but her ability to encompass each character’s individual story and experience. Even through distraction, a poster falling and a phone dropping, Elizabeth Shofi stayed unflinchingly focused on each musical performance, only to gracefully acknowledge the mishap when the final note was sung.
Gliding across the notes with professional control in a blue sparkly dress Elizabeth not only filled the room with her powerful voice but lit up the room with her infectious spirit. A true performer that delivered a showstopping performance, Elizabeth Shofi is someone I would recommend everyone see if they get a chance.
Standout Quote or Moment: I’ll Be Here from Ordinary Days
See If: You enjoy showtunes and live music
To get tickets for the show click here
We were kindly gifted these tickets in exchange for a review.
Written by Hazel Earthy